Growing up with six siblings meant we always had lots of birthdays to celebrate together. However, in the recent past, our two older sisters died.

They were in their 90s, and their names were Ginny and Marilyn. When Marilyn’s birthday came up this past May, her children got her siblings all together for brunch and celebrated her birthday anyway. We spent a couple of hours just sitting and remembering the good times we had with her. Then in June, when it would have been Ginny’s birthday, her children got us all together again to remember the years we had with her as our oldest sibling. I enjoyed it because it was a time to talk and laugh together for as long as the restaurant allowed us to stay.

My memories of our childhood birthdays were to have supper, and the one with the birthday got to pick what mom would make for dessert that night. (My choice was banana cream pie.) And, we had a special plate that the birthday “kid” got to use. That plate would be at our place at the table when we sat down. With seven kids and only one special plate, it was a problem as to who got to have the “plate” when we all got married and left home.

I was lucky one day when I was in the DPS Antique Store in Delaware and saw enough of those same plates to buy, so now, each of us has our own.

This year, for our birthdays, we have been meeting at Bun’s at noon. They will put tables together for us, and we can sit and talk as long as we want.

Our younger brother has already sent out word that he wants us to meet for lunch at Bun’s on his birthday this month. The majority of my siblings are now in our 80s, with our youngest sister still being in her 70s. Mostly, we bring birthday cards that make everyone laugh. And if we can find any old pictures of the birthday person, we can all laugh about what we looked like back in the day. It’s too bad it wasn’t possible for our parents to live long enough to celebrate with us.

“No one knows what the future holds, so we have to live for the day and enjoy every minute of it.” The previous quote is one that wrote itself. I can say that because it wasn’t on the screen when I left the room, but it was here when I came back in just now. If that can’t be true, then it must be my forgetfulness taking over. Whatever it is, do as it says. Enjoy every minute!